March Newsletter: Education Program

The Gottesman Libraries Education Program informs students, faculty and staff about the latest thinking in education, in ways that engage members of the community with one another and with a broad range of educational experts. The program also provides understanding of work being done throughout the College. Read more about offerings in March.

Workshops

Regularly scheduled instructional offerings include workshops, tours, orientations, and course-specific instruction in coordination with staff and faculty of the College.

Your Research Journey is a five-part library workshop series to help guide you in your research throughout the semester, by providing you with manageable tools and resources to use along your journey. Whether this is your first time conducting research, or you are a well-seasoned researcher and looking for a refresher, each workshop introduces fundamental information to lay a foundation of knowledge on which you can build your scholarly work. While the workshops in this series are designed to build upon each other, you are welcome to attend any workshop individually. All are held on Wednesdays, 3-4pm.

Elevate Your Research builds upon the foundational series, Your Research Journey, by presenting valuable new topics, resources, and methodologies to make you an even stronger and highly proficient researcher. Held on Thursdays, 3-4pm, this series also invites deeper, collaborative work to strengthen academic research initiatives.

Searching Strategies, Wednesday, 3/6, 3-4pm

How do you know you are retrieving all the relevant information needed for your research topic? Do you find your catalog and database searches are not giving you the best results? This workshop will cover the strategies and concepts needed to give you confidence that you are finding the best results in your searches and take you beyond conducting simple searches by using tools to search in a variety of contexts. The workshop host will review how to use Educat+, the catalog of the Gottesman Libraries; CLIO, the Columbia University Libraries catalog; and database providers, like EBSCO and Proquest. We will then show how you can optimize your queries by using Boolean logic and punctuation to refine your search style and retrieve exactly the resources you seek.

Presenter: Ralph Baylor, Head of Reference and Reader Services

 Where: 101 Russell /Online

Finding Funding Tools and Sources, Tuesday, 3/12, 3-4pm

The world of grant funding can seem expansive and incomprehensible, but there are key tools that can guide you through finding and securing sponsored opportunities for your research project or initiative. This workshop provides tutorials for using the top grant-seeking databases, including PIVOT, a tool for locating sponsored funding opportunities and collaborators; Foundation Directory; Grants to Individuals; and Grants.gov. In addition to these resources, we will discuss best practices in searching, grant terminology that you may encounter, and where to get additional help in searching, as well as with the writing process.

Presenter: Ava Kaplan, Research and Instruction Librarian

Where: 101 Russell / Online

Article Screening for Literature Reviews, Wednesday, 3/13, 3-4pm

Writing a literature review? Getting a lot of results for articles related to your topic, but now need to make sure they meet your eligibility criteria? Screening is the process of identifying studies from the literature search for inclusion in the review. In this workshop, we will share useful tips and tools for the article screening process of the literature review, including how to apply inclusion and exclusion criteria to search results and how to use digital tools like Covidence to make article screening more manageable and less time consuming.

Presenter:  Ava Kaplan, Research and Instruction Librarian

Where: 101 Russell /Online

Understanding Primary Sources, Thursday, 3/14, 3-4pm

Come learn about introductory techniques for locating, accessing, and analyzing historical documents. Our goal in this workshop is to provide participants with a preliminary skill set useful in the discovery, access, and analysis of primary source documents. Objectives of this workshop are to:

• Define and identify primary sources and “archival” material as well as a basic understanding of knowledge organization;
• Discern the relationship between primary sources and secondary sources;
• Recognize how archives can be a valuable resource for certain types of projects, and how archivists can be helpful research partners; and
• Understand the basic methodology of conducting research with primary sources.

Additionally, students and participants will have the opportunity to work directly with primary source material from  the Gottesman Libraries' Special Collections.

Presenter: Conrad Lochner, Special and Digital Collections Librarian

Where: 104b Russell / Online

Navigating for Accessibility, Monday, 3/25, 3-4pm

How do major databases interact with accessibility tools? Is there a difference between EPUB and PDF? Which one should I be using? What is digital rights management and how can it impact assistive technology?

Researchers at Gottesman Libraries have access to a robust collection of online resources. Navigating the features as well as the gaps in accessibility of these resources can be a challenge. This workshop will explain how and why assistive technologies function differently between our many databases. We will become familiar with digital rights management, EPUB and PDF file formats, and available resources within the Gottesman Libraries and Teachers College.

Presenter: Anna Leuning, Circulation and User Experience Librarian

Where: 101 Russell / Online

The Literature Review, Wednesday, 3/27, 3-4pm

The Literature Review is an essential element of scholarly inquiry, allowing researchers to understand the context and conclusions around a specific topic. A literature review can be conducted as a section in a main project such as a thesis or dissertation, or it can be a standalone project for a course or publication. For whatever reason you are embarking on your literature review process, this workshop will introduce you to the concepts and guidelines behind the three primary types of literature reviews; the narrative review, scoping review, and systematic review. We will also cover strategies for locating the sources you need for your literature review. 

Presenter:  Ava Kaplan, Research and Instruction Librarian

Where: 101 Russell / Online

Digital Explorations in Leaving a Print, Friday, 3/29, 2-4pm

Explore the world of imprinting. In this workshop, you'll experiment with modern and traditional techniques of inking an image. It is crafted for individuals interested in exploring the artistic possibilities of stenciling and stamping, and we will work from handmade stamps to precise laser-cut designs. Persons with all levels of experience are welcome to attend.

Presenter: Lucius Von Joo, Research Assistant, Digital Futures Institute, and Instructor, Communication, Media, and Learning Technologies Design, Teachers College, Columbia University

Where: DFI Studio / 511 Russell 

This workshop builds upon Printmaking at Teachers College and The Work of Albert William Heckman, on display in the Third Floor Russell Reading Room and adjacent Offit Gallery.

Talks

We host a variety of talks, from book to guest to art, to encourage thinking , conversation, and action on a broad range of interesting and relevant topics and needs.

Art Talk 

Insight into the Work of Albert William Heckman, Thursday, 3/28, 2:30-4:00pm (cancelled)

Please join us for the opening of The Work of Albert William Heckman, alumnus and faculty member of Teachers College, Columbia University. An artist-teacher, printmaker and painter, textile and ceramic designer, Albert Heckman (1893-1971) produced and exhibited prolifically in American galleries and museums, including the Potters Shop, Feragil Gallery, Springfield Art Museum, Whitney Museum of Art, Cincinnati Art Museum, and Art Institute of Chicago.  This first exhibition in Offit Gallery features select etchings, lithographs, oil paintings, and notebooks that illuminate "his intelligent use of medium with aspiration."

The opening reception and talk include reflections by Dr. Richard R. John, Professor of History and Communications, Columbia University School of Journalism; Susan Teller, owner of Susan Teller Gallery; Dr. Judith Burton, Macy Professor of Education, Art and Art Education, Teachers College, Columbia University; and Dr. Mahobe Ghods, Associate Adjunct Professor and Printmaking Instructor, Teachers College, Columbia University.

Claremont Strings, our longest-running musical group, will performing a special selection of classical works for the opening. Refreshments will be served.

Where: 305 Russell / Offit Gallery

Book Club

Somebody's Daughter, by Ashley C. Ford, Tuesday, 3/26, 12-1pm

Our second memoir for Spring 2023 Book Club is Somebody's Daughter (Flatiron Books, 2021) by Ashley C. Ford. Please join us to discuss this New York Times' moving bestseller about "a childhood defined by the looming absence of her incarcerated father."

"Through poverty, adolescence, and a fraught relationship with her mother, Ashley C. Ford wishes she could turn to her father for hope and encouragement. There are just a few problems: he’s in prison, and she doesn’t know what he did to end up there. She doesn’t know how to deal with the incessant worries that keep her up at night, or how to handle the changes in her body that draw unwanted attention from men. In her search for unconditional love, Ashley begins dating a boy her mother hates. When the relationship turns sour, he assaults her. Still reeling from the rape, which she keeps secret from her family, Ashley desperately searches for meaning in the chaos. Then, her grandmother reveals the truth about her father’s incarceration . . . and Ashley’s entire world is turned upside down.

Somebody’s Daughter steps into the world of growing up a poor Black girl in Indiana with a family fragmented by incarceration, exploring how isolating and complex such a childhood can be. As Ashley battles her body and her environment, she embarks on a powerful journey to find the threads between who she is and what she was born into, and the complicated familial love that often binds them."

-- publisher's description

Ashley C. Ford is the former host of The Chronicles of Now podcast, co-host of The HBO companion podcast Lovecraft Country Radio, seasons one & three of MasterCard’s Fortune Favors The Bold, as well as the video interview series PROFILE by BuzzFeed News, and Brooklyn-based news & culture TV show, 112BK. Ford has written or guest-edited for The Guardian, ELLE Magazine, BuzzFeed, OUT Magazine, Slate, Teen Vogue, New York Magazine, Allure, Marie Claire, The New York Times, Netflix Queue, Domino, Cup of Jo, and various other web and print publications. She has also developed special projects for companies like Medium.Com, Mailchimp Presents, Condé Nast Entertainment, and MasterCard. She has taught creative nonfiction at The New School in Manhattan, served as Ball State University’s Writer-In-Residence, and taught the Creative NonFiction Workshop at Butler University.

Spring Book Club is co-sponsored by the Graduate Student Writing Center and meets once a month on Tuesdays, 12-1pm. The first 5 students to register will receive a free copy! Bring your lunch or enjoy a light snack with us!

Where: 305 Russell

Artivism

Artivism: The Power of Art for Social Transformation aims to generate community through multidisciplinary teamwork for a more dignified and meaningful coexistence. The overarching goal is to nurture confidence in taking continuous action from wherever we are by means of reciprocity. 

All talks are online via Zoom and culminate in an annual multi-venue art expo.

Music and Peace: Understanding the Types of Peace That Music-Making Can Foster, with Gillian Howell, Monday, 3/4, 4:30-5:30pm

Peace is needed more than ever, and many musicians are eager to contribute to building a more just and peaceful world.

Violent conflicts in the Ukraine, the Middle East, and South Sudan have brought the reality of war into sharpened focus. Currently, there are more than 110 active armed conflicts being monitored around the world, many of which never reach the headlines. Peace is needed more than ever, and many musicians are eager to contribute to building a more just and peaceful world. In this talk, I will share my recent research on musicians building peace and offer a new approach to thinking about the ways that musicians contribute to peacebuilding, the practices they engage, and the types of peace they can help to foster.

Dr. Gillian Howell is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne, Australia, where she leads a portfolio of research investigating the contributions of community music to post-war transitions and recovery including peacebuilding, community dialogue, and music restoration. Her applied research and creative practice have taken her around Australia and the world, including to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Kosovo and North Macedonia, and she has delivered research consultancies for Save the Children Middle East, Musicians Without Borders, and Tura New Music. Closer to home, Dr. Howell’s long-term research and songwriting collaboration with First Nations language educators in remote north-west Australia has produced two albums of original songs and a community songbook in three endangered Aboriginal languages.

Resources

• findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/161258-gillian-howell
• gillianhowell.com.au/
• tura.com.au/projects/sound-fx

Register HERE.

The Gift of Time, with Dennis Labriola, Monday, 3/11, 4:30-5:30pm

n every adversity, every failure, every hardship carries the seed of an equivalent or a greater benefit (Napoleon Hill).

"During the pandemic, when it seemed the whole world closed down, work and school was thrown into chaos and a remote world which many of us were unprepared for, appointments were cancelled and life, as we were accustomed to, seemed forever changed. Yes, it was a difficult time to say the least. We all were impacted, but, for me, there was also a silver lining… unscheduled time.

Through the encouragement of my wife, Patty, I finally found the “time” to accomplish a life-long ambition to author a book. We all have a story to tell. In my case several stories of events and people that impacted me. I utilized this newfound time to assemble these, often humorous and always faith driven, windowpanes of my life into my book, Seventh-Inning Stretch: Reflections on the Game of Life.

I will share my journey of inspiration, the discovered responses of my readership as similar memories of their lives were triggered as they recall their scenes of the past. I will also provide the practical blueprint that I followed for a first-time author into the publishing universe."

Dennis Labriola is a businessman and men’s ministry coach. A graduate of the State University of New York, Dennis initiated his IT profession in 1973 and founded his IT company in 1980, providing Public Safety software applications throughout New York State. He is a former board member of The Long Island Software Technology Network, as well as the Applied Science Foundation for Homeland Security. Today Dennis and his wife, Patricia, assist those looking for entrepreneurial opportunities to establish e-commerce businesses. He is the former Men’s Ministry director of his local church and is proud to be a veteran having served in the United States Air Force. Dennis resides on Long Island, New York, with his wife Patricia. They have two grown daughters and four granddaughters.

Resources

• dennislabriola.com
• Author of Seventh-Inning Stretch: Reflections on the Game of Life by Dennis Labriola
   

Register HERE.

Exploring the Harmonic Nexus: Uniting Science, Music, and Art for Societal Transformation, with Felipe Vegus, Monday, 3/25, 4:30-5:30pm

Let’s embark on a transformative journey intertwining science, music, and art. Delve into the historical link between mathematics and music, dating back to the Pythagoreans, setting the stage for a harmonic worldview. Experience the emotive power of music as a catalyst for social change and exploration of harmonious paradigms. Picture a metaphorical bridge spanning disciplines, unifying physics, biology, and society under the influence of music.

Witness the role of “artivism” in driving social transformation through visual art, music, and poetry. Explore the collaborative synergy between creativity and science, unveiling innovative solutions. Reflect on your creative potential and envision a harmonious response to contemporary challenges. Engage in open dialogue, sharing thoughts on the intersection of science, music, and art. Conclude with a summary, reinforcing the attainability of a harmonious worldview through creativity and knowledge.

Felipe Vega, Statement

"I’m a researcher, educator, and artist with a passion for blending science, art, and community engagement. From an early start as an assistant professor for international ecology programs in Corcovado, Costa Rica, I’ve evolved over 16 years to embrace diverse fields—Science, Math, Arts, Engineering, and the English language.

During an internship at the National Psychiatric Hospital, I developed workshops in garden and logic therapy, and was trained in Math and Science Gifted Programs. For over six years, I’ve led a Harmonic Science platform at TEC University, exploring music through nature and everyday knowledge.

Currently, I conduct music therapy workshops at Aldeas SOS’ Green Classroom and Casa de Luz programs, focusing on abandoned youth. Through the power of music, these workshops provide inspiration and healing, aligning with my belief in the harmony of science, art, and community."

Resources

• Fundación Transformación en Tiempos Violentos
• Religar
• Guitarras Guzmán
• Felipe Vega

Register HERE.

Artivism: The Power of Art for Social Transformation is jointly sponsored by Adelphi University, Sing for Hope, and the Gottesman Libraries. A movement with committed social artivists, Artivism: The Power of Art Social Transformation, grew out of Illuminations of Social Imagination: Learning From Maxine Greene, (Dio Press, 2019), edited by Teachers College alumni Courtney Weida and Carolina Cambronero-Varela, and Dolapo Adeniji-Neill, of Adelphi University. 

Live Music

The Everett Cafe Music Program sponsors performances by TC student and affiliated musicians. Come enjoy a variety of genres and styles! Please contact us if you are interested in playing! We welcome solos, duets, and trios.

Nicholas DiMaria Trio, Monday, 3/4, 4-5pm

Nicholas DiMaria is a trumpeter, teacher, and composer based in New York City. He draws inspiration from multiple genres and art forms in his compositions and is continuously inspired by expressing visual art in a musical medium. His music is described by audiences as introspective, passionate, and eclectic; influenced by jazz, hip-hop, and classical music.

Nicholas has lead groups at Carnegie Hall, The Northeast Wine and Jazz Festival, The Syracuse Jazz Festival, The Central New York Pride Festival, and restaurants and clubs across New York State. He has also performed at The Great New York State Fair, The CNY January Jazz Festival, the Disneyland All-American College Band, and opened for Grammy-Winner Lalah Hathaway. Nicholas is well-adapted to playing with jazz ensembles, wedding bands, and funk groups. He currently holds a weekly performance residency at Oliva Tapas, NYC (Thursdays and Fridays from 6-8pm). Nicholas is also a faculty member at Larchmont Music Academy, where he teaches trumpet and a jazz ensemble. In 2020, he received his Bachelor's in Jazz Arts from Manhattan School of Music where he studied with Scott Wendholt, Ingrid Jensen, Jim McNeely, and Jon Faddis.

Dana Lane, Wednesday, 3/6, 5:30-6:30pm

Dana Lane is a first-year Clinical Psychology Master's student originally from Bethesda, MD. She has a diverse musical background, including classical voice training as well as choir, a cappella, and musical theater experiences. She most enjoys singing and writing songs in the indie/folky-pop style, and she supports her singing with the guitar, ukulele, and piano. You can follow her artist Instagram account @danahopeart for videos of her singing performances!

Jackson Potter and Melanie Giselle, Thursday, 3/14, 4-5pm

Jackson Potter is an up-and-coming guitarist and composer on the NYC jazz scene. Since moving to NYC in 2021, Potter has performed with highly esteemed musicians such as Troy Roberts, former members of the John Pizzarelli Quartet, Konrad Paszkudzki and Mike Karn, Erena Terakubo, 2023 Ella Fitzgerald Vocal Competition Winner, April Varner, Kenny Shanker, and others.  He has performed at iconic NYC venues such as Dizzy's, the Django, The Atrium Stage at Lincoln Center, and Nublu. Jackson released his debut album, Restless, in 2021, on Wise Cat Records where it received enthusiastic reviews from critics and was featured on RMR's Top Jazz Album Chart for the Year 2021. Recently, Jackson completed a Master of Music degree at the Manhattan School of Music.

Jackson will be accompanied by Melanie Giselle, a jazz singer who studied formally in New York after performing as a solo artist in her hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina. She also has played bass and guitar in several bands of the New York scene.  Her venues include The Club Room, Colby Club, Canary Club, Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance, Hermana, and more.

Claremont Strings, Wednesday, 3/27, 4-5:30pm

Claremont Strings and Ensemble features music for classical strings, from the symphonies of Mozart and Haydn, to well known arias from the operas of Puccini and Bizet. You may hear a selection of continental Viennese waltzes and French cabaret. Musicians of The Claremont Strings Ensemble have performed collectively at Weill Hall, Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and throughout the Northeast, playing a diverse range of symphonic and chamber music, eclectic jazz, and gypsy swing. Wadsworth Strings, emanating from the Washington Heights area, is a division of Claremont Strings, founded by Vivian Penham, a graduate of the Juilliard School and Columbia University.

Book Displays

Book displays  are curated and designed by library staff to share the joy of books and reading, while encouraging greater awareness of available resources  and their significance to the Library and College.

Everett Cafe: Artificial Intelligence and Education

At Everett Cafe, you'll find a new book collection every few weeks that relates to current events, education, or learning environments.

Staff Picks:  Subjective Realities

"There are two types of truths: "story-truth" and "happening-truth." While "happening-truth" refers to the actual events of what happened, "story-truth" represents our personal reinterpretation of those events that have been shaped by our personal feelings and emotions. The fact that it may stray from the exact details of reality doesn't make it any less authentic, as long as it feels true to ourselves. Subjective Realities is a collection of works that explores and celebrates each of our "story-truths" and how we reconcile them with the truths of others."

-- Sally Shi, Library Associate

Where: Second Floor Reading Room

Staff Picks is curated and designed each month by the Gottesman Libraries' staff to highlight resources on educational topics and themes of special interest.

Rocket Display:  Award-Winning Children's Books

Every Spring we are proud to present our newest books acquisitions in the field of fictional and non fictional children's literature, award winning and notable works that represent the best of the best. Covering a wide range of topics and interests, there is something for everyone. Whether you prefer picture books, young adult novels, historical fiction, science fiction, biography, poetry, folklore, fantasy, fairy tale, or another genre, be sure to stop by.  They check out quickly but are soon replaced by additional award winning publications that come to the library on standing order.

Where: Second Floor Rocket Cases

Cabinet Display:  Printmaking at Teachers College

Mr. Dow was a constant inspiration to his students. He believed that art could be taught so that it could be shared by all. To him no one was hopeless. His faith in his students, his confidence in their latent ability, his sympathetic and kindly interest in their welfare, his willingness to let them express their individuality, his delightful sense of humour, his great simplicity–these unique qualities made him an inspired and inspiring teacher.

– Sallie B. Tannahill, The P's and Q's; A Book on the Art of Letter Arrangement, A Tribute

The history and development of printmaking at Teachers College dates back to the influence of Professor Arthur Wesley Dow, author of Composition: A Series of Exercises in Art Structure for the Use of Students and Teachers (1899). Dow commented, “Printing is very simple, and in my opinion of special educational value. After observation of the craft in India in 1904, I was determined to introduce it into art courses—both for adults and children.” 

Printmaking at Teachers College offers insight into the work of our students and faculty, among them Albert Heckman and Federico Castellon who became notable artist teachers, much like Arthur Wesley Dow and successive generations of TC faculty. This display draws from the archival, research, curriculum, and children’s literature collections at the Gottesman Libraries to highlight printmaking at the College, as well as special materials that reflect study, research, and practice in the field. The historical art collections of Federico Castellon and Albert Heckman are featured in the Offit Gallery this Spring, while past exhibits by contemporary student printmakers include, “I Was Made in Shapes”, by Lindsey Frances Jones, Fall 2022, and “As I Am”, by Kendal O’Leary, Fall 2023. 

After Dow’s death on December 13th, 1922, display cases inscribed to Dow were installed in Russell Hall to exhibit class work. With generous support from The Myers Foundations, this display case was refurbished to showcase historical treasures and enhance exhibits in the Offit Gallery. Select examples of archival and historical materials from the Gottesman Libraries aim to inform, inspire, and grow the artistic and educational process, as we carry on an important tradition.

Where: Third Floor Reading Room

News Displays

Need to keep current, look to the past, teach a topic? The Everett Cafe features daily postings of news from around the world, and also promotes awareness of historical events from an educational context. Be sure to check the Cafe News postings on the library blog.

First Case of the Spanish Flu, Monday, 3/4

William Herschel Observes Uranus, Wednesday, 3/13

Agnes Martin Is Born, Friday, 3/22

Databases

Every month we draw attention to select databases that strengthen learning, teaching, and research in academic areas and their relevance to current offerings and programs.

Mental processes, or the science of how we think, draw upon memory, attention, perception, knowledge, judgement, language, and problem solving, among other  mechanisms. In March we highlight databases that are relevant to the field of Cognitive Psychology, including the Program in Cognitive Science in Education which "trains students in the basic theories of human cognition, the practice and interpretation of empirical cognitive and developmental research, and how to use research to improve educational practices and develop innovative methods built around new technologies."

Read more on the library's news feed.

Exhibits

Educational exhibitions are mounted in partnership with the Teachers College community and others with an interest in displaying unique and innovative educational materials, while also regularly showcasing Teachers College's Historical Art Collections. 

The library has several spaces in Russell Hall to exhibit diverse materials, and also features digital and web-based exhibitions when possible. 

The Costume Design of Elizabeth Mary McNeeley, 1/11-3/15

In 1916 Jane Fales, Assistant Professor of Household Arts, and Ruth Wilmot, Instructor in Costume Design, remarked that, "Not infrequently during the course [in costume design], however, unexpected talent in representation is discovered, and the intended costume designer becomes the fashion illustrator." They urged that "training the taste of the student" was key with regard to elements of design that embraced good lines and spacing, color, and texture. Further, that "French fashion was a mosaic brought together from bits of past costumes."

Belle Northrup earned her B.S. in 1917 and her A.M. in 1931 from Teachers College. Her study under Arthur Wesley Dow, Professor of Fine Arts (1904-1922) and author the seminal textbook, Composition: A Series of Exercises in Art Structure for the Use of Students and Teachers, included printmaking, for which she and Wilhelmine Peper created, Panama Birds And Flowers, Indian Songs (1923). Northrup was Teacher of Fine Arts, at the Horace Mann School, Assistant in Fine Arts at Teachers College 1917/1918, Instructor 1918-32, and Assistant Professor 1932-1945 in costume design, stage design, and art education. She enjoyed the benefit of a new policy in which the College administration subsidized further study in other universities and countries for promising young faculty members who completed their graduate work at Teachers College. She traveled to France and England and wrote A Short Description of Historic Fashion with Index and Suggestion for Using the Accompanying Thirty Historic Plates, in 1925, and Teaching Costume Design for Independent Thinking and Creating (Teachers College Record 28.7 (1927): 1-10. In her teaching, she stressed design for individual personalities.

Among Belle Northrup's students in the Department of Fine and Industrial Arts was Elizabeth Mary McNeeley, Class of 1923. The McNeeley Costume Drawing Collection represents a significant record of the educational work carried on at Teachers College during the 1920's. These ten drawings, which were created by Mary Elizabeth McNeeley as part of a student project in a class at Teachers College, are visually appealing and evocative of an early period of art education. They portray color schemes and patterns; fancy evening dresses; athletic and casual wear, headdresses and clothing for the stage -- showing both European and American influence, as well as key elements of composition and individual taste.

The Dow years were a time of rapid growth in fine and industrial arts at Teachers College -- and also of increasing manufacture of good and varied clothing. Courses in costume design were taught from 1913; after 1923 the Household Arts Department began to reduce classes in sewing, millinery, and dressmaking, costume design, and history – the last two of which were independent of the art faculty. Students at Teachers College were still inspired to support and participate in numerous festivals (many Shakespearean) and theater. Throughout the 1920s, there were class plays, pageants, and ambitious productions, including several Gilbert and Sullivan musicals and a student production of Lady Gregory’s The Dragon, a wonder play that explores themes of courage, bravery, and the power of community.

This exhibit is made possible through the generous support of the Myers Foundations.

Where: First Floor

Selections from the Federico Castellon Memorial Print Collection,  2/2 - 3/15

The Federico Castellon Memorial Print Collection consists of 78 prints by printmakers in the 1960s and 1970s, donated to Teachers College by established printmakers throughout the United States under the aegis of the Society of American Graphic Artists. Established in 1915, SAGA is one of the oldest organizations of printmakers. The artworks are dedicated to Federico Castellon who brought extraordinary vision to art and teaching, and they are part of the Historical Art Collections held at the Gottesman Libraries.

Fredrico Castellon (1914-1971) was a painter, sculptor, illustrator, teacher, and printmaker from Almeria, Spain, who came to Brooklyn, NY with his family in 1921. With no formal training, he entered the art world with a solo exhibition at the Weyhe Gallery at the age of eighteen. Later, Castellon became a distinguished member of the Society of American Graphic Artists (SAGA) and was recognized as an established artist; he received the Guggenheim Fellowship and his work was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of Modern Art, and Art Institute of Chicago. Castellon initially served as a summer instructor at Teachers College in 1949-50. He became an Instructor of Fine Arts at Teachers College in the 1950s where he taught a variety of painting classes, including watercolor and oil, for more than a dozen years. Though he considered himself a "temporary teacher" and sought to balance his time as a both a teacher and artist, he spoke fondly of his time at Teachers College; in an interview for the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art, he recalled, "And everybody that teaches knows that the biggest thrill is to suddenly see somebody awaken under your spell."

Castellon is one of the first artists in America to be associated with the Surrealist movement. Though he was called a Surrealist, he never considered himself as one. Influenced by artists such as Dali, Picasso, Rouault, Castellon developed his unique style that blended reality, memory, and fantasy. He merges enigmatic body parts with indecipherable elements. Castellon does not only depict the unconscious mind, but uses poetic mysticism to shine light upon the lived human experience. 

This exhibition is a selection of prints by both Federico Castellon and various other artists in the 1970s from the Federico Castellon Memorial Print Collection. It explores the underlying themes of fantasy and mystery in Castellon’s work. The artists use abstraction to alter the figures and landscapes to create their own dreams and nightmares. The figures are twisted, fleeting, and disjointed, seemingly almost non-human. The landscapes look familiar yet distant, pointing towards celestial and extraterrestrial fantasies. Mythical figures, such as Venus and Pele, breathe new life into the dreamscape. The blend of ordinary and the extraordinary in this exhibition is a reflection of surreal elements that influenced Federico Castellon. In the prints, the artists explore the complexities of the human condition through images that are beautiful, disturbing, and ultimately educational; they tap into our subconscious minds, question rational thought, and prompt poetic ways of thinking about human experience, personal and societal dilemmas, and our place in the changing world.     

Where: Offit Gallery

When: Friday, February 2nd - Friday, March 15th

The Work of Albert William Heckman  (Postponed)

The Work of Albert William Heckman features etchings, lithographs, oil paintings, and notebooks by Albert William Heckman, an alumnus and faculty member of Teachers College, Columbia University. An artist-teacher, printmaker and painter, textile and ceramic designer, Albert Heckman produced and exhibited prolifically in American galleries and museums, including the Potters Shop, Feragil Gallery, Springfield Art Museum, Whitney Museum of Art, Cincinnati Art Museum, and Art Institute of Chicago.

This exhibit brings together Albert Heckman’s extraordinary contributions to the field of art and art education, while exemplifying his intelligent diversity of medium and successful aspirations in art. Classically trained, yet modernist in approach, his subjects embraced city and country, home and industry, movement and stillness. They are timeless in their expression of the world around him and the educational experiences he gained as he grew.

Where: Offit Gallery
When: Friday, March 22nd - Friday, May 10th (postponed)

Art Talk and Reception: Thursday, March 28th, 2:30-4pm, with live music by Claremont Strings, 4-5:30pm (postponed)